Bodily Harmful Habits

For anyone who reads my blog, just know that my writings are a form of diary written to myself as a reminder of what I need to think about concerning scripture.  It is not meant as a preachy, preachy to anyone else.  

1 Corinthians 6:19-20  tells me, "Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?  For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body. "

When I read this, I was reminded that I need to attempt to control certain habits I have developed that could actually harm my body, at least according to research.  I love sweets, but know that too much sugar really does effect the way my body feels.  When I eat too much I have more body aches.  What does that tell me?  Don't do it.  I also know that I am beginning to show signs of a weight issue.  I could blame it on advancing age, but to be honest, I would have to say it is because I am eating too much at meals and snacking too often (which I love to do).  Also, I have basically stopped exercising as I did a few years ago.  My body needs some form of daily workout or walking routine.  It not only helps me feel better, but it also keeps my body toned.   

If I apply 1 Corinthians 6: 19-20 and truly remember that my body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, maybe, just maybe, I will control the habits I have formed over the years which harm my body.  I need to change my focus - make it more on God and His ways rather than on my fleshy desires.

Life's A Story

      With the Thanksgiving holiday over, the Christmas season is upon us.  Soon it will be a new year; a year to continue our the story of our life; a story in which we will be remembered or a story in which we fulfilled our purpose. 

Life's A Story 

All have a story with a beginning and end

Along the way, there is an enemy and a friend.

From young to old, we are weak, and we are bold.

We either follow or we lead.

We plant a seed or we plant a weed.

There is always a need. 

At times, we are weak or we are strong;

Often, right or wrong. 

We host feelings and thoughts,

Struggling with should or shouldn’t oughts.

From young to white-haired in age, 

We turn each page.  

Our hearts are warm or cold.  

We remain infants or sprout and grow;

There is much to show.

From the old, down to the young, 

We speak when we should hold the tongue, 

We are either meek or high-strung.

From beginning to end, life’ a stage;

Every day a new age,

A play to be written;

A life that is fittin,

And a God in which to be smitten.

From beginning to end God transcends, 

Giving life by His power in His hour.

The path in the middle, our riddle.

What do we build?

A house of frills or one God-filled? 

A purpose to tell or a path to hell? 

A house in which God can dwell 

Or one, corrupt, and messed up?

From beginning to end, life’s a story

In which to give God His glory. 

 

Mary Crisp Jameson  11/28/2021

 

“Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter:  Fear God and keep His commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.  For God will bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.”  Ecclesiastes 12: 13-14

 

God's Creation

 When I came in from church today and looked out my window, I noticed brown fallen leaves on the ground.  Then I looked at all the leaves yet to fall.  What I saw was beauty, even though I knew there were be a mountain of leaves for me to rake.  But, even with future work ahead, what remains in my vision is the amazing paradise God created.  

                         God's Creation 

I see God’s work in all of nature- in every feature.

The clouds that dazzle in circular motion awe my emotion;

The sunset stirs imagination and heightens tingling sensation.

I see God’s beauty in the rainbow arched across the sky,

Sometimes colorfully bright, sometimes hazy up so high.

All of creation is a wonder to the eye;

The trees budding in early spring,

The robins popping out to sing,

Flowers springing up across the meadow

In the glow of sun’s rays or even in its shadow.

I see God’s creative hand all across the land.

In the turning of fall leaves, God continually weaves.

I see the hand of favor from my Savior

As He sends the welcome rains across dried-up plains.

The sun, moon, and stars are a paradise; 

God’s day and night devise.

Within His creation, 

There are snowed-capped mountains, 

trickling streams, and smooth flowing fountains.

Whether sunny fields or snowy places,

Whether weedy gardens or well-groomed grounds,

Beauty is all-around.

There are no desert places.

 God’s touch is in all the spaces.

Each and every expression is in His Almighty possession.

 

Mary Crisp Jameson. 11/21/2021 

 

“In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth…And God saw everything that He had made, and, behold, it was very good…”  Genesis 1:1, 31a KJV

 

 

 

 

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Freedom

 I must enjoy doing acronyms, since I seem to do them a lot.  This morning I was thinking of what keeps a person from feeling free and how to obtain that free feeling.  My acronyms are two-fold.  One shows what keeps us from being free and the other on how to obtain freedom.  

Being in bondage:  

F ear, Feeling unworthy
R epeating the same sinful ways
E establishing negative thoughts, Entering into wrong living habits
E rroneously allowing the wrong people into your life

Breaking the chains to freedom:

F orgive - Feed on positive thoughts, First, is God!

R oll with what God gives

E ase into the day with prayer - Expect good things to happen - Enjoy the blessings God gives

E nter into positive thinking - Enter into thanksgiving - Examine your ways and your friends- Extend love

Not Now

 I believe God answers prayer.  He may not answer in the way I think He should, and He may not answer right away.  Often He says, "Not Now."  What does that teach me?  Patience and/or Perseverance! So how do I  gain this?   The question certainly cannot be answered with one word, so I tried to think of a good acronym.  The best I could do was "Press On".

P ray often
R est in God's love 

E nvy not 

S how forgiveness

S mile regardless

O ne step at a time

N ever abandon God's Word

Separation

In the world we live, there is much talk of the government trying to separate the people.  There is much division in thought and behavior.  Yet, God is always and foremost in control.  It is God who has the first and final say:   

 

In the beginning…. God separated the light from darkness

In the beginning…  God separated the waters from the dry land

In the beginning…. God separated the heaven from the earth 

 

Early on… God separated man from the Garden of Eden

In life… God separates the living from the dead 

Through His power… God separates the Seasons in His timely manner

 

In the end … God will separate His people from those who are not His.  

In the end…I believe, His people will hear Him say, “It is good.”

Hello God!

I have found that there is nothing I can't take to God and feel better about it, so here goes: 

“Hello God!”

I am just popping in to say “Hi!”

I really don’t need a thing,

But wanted to draw nigh.

I hope it’s no bother.

I just needed to talk to my Father.

I was sitting here, feeling bored and lonely,

And, there’s only One who makes me feel complete, Lord.

 It’s you, and you only. 

I don’t have a lot to say,

Other than "I love you" and "Thank you for today". 

There is just something about talking to you.

I’m suddenly no longer blue,

But feel at peace and serene,

Even though your face I have never seen.

Your heartfelt presence is simple enough

As you listen to my rambling, meaningless stuff.

So, I’ll let you go

Though I know you won’t say, “Goodbye or Farewell!”

For, with me, you continually dwell.

 

Mary Crisp Jameson. 11/11/2021

 

Faith

 Quotes are a fun way of communicating ideas. I found the following quotes about faith in a book called The Treasure Chest so I thought I would post a few here as a reminder to myself for the times I struggle with letting God be in control and the times I forget that my joy lies in my faith in God to handle all.  

"Faith is not belief without proof, but trust without reservations." Elton Trueblood  

"Faith is a boomerang; begin using what you have and it comes back to you in greater measure."  Charles L. Allen 

"Fear imprisons, faith liberates; fear paralyzes, faith empowers; fear disheartens, faith encourages; fear sickens, faith heals; fear makes useless, faith makes serviceable - and, most of all, fear puts hopelessness at the heart of life, while faith rejoices in its God."  Harry Emerson Fosdick 

"We shall be made truly wise if we be made content; content, too, not only with what we can understand, but content with what we do not understand - the habit of mind which theologians call, and rightly, faith in God."  Charles Kingsley

The above was all a fun and meaningful read, but more importantly is what Scripture tells us about faith:

Hebrews 11:1, "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."

2 Corinthians 5:7, "For we walk by faith, not by sight."

Catch The Season

Catch the Season!

 

When seasons change, most people rotate the clothes in their closet and dress with the season.  However, the way we dress can be seen in a different light.  With God, we don’t have to rotate our seasonal clothes.  How we dress for life events is a choice, not a seasonal expectation.

 

In Anxious for Nothing, Max Lucado says, “We can wear our hurt or wear our hope.”  Maybe, we could even adorn ourselves with self-control.  When David went out to meet Goliath, he refused the King’s armor, but he clothed himself in faith.  Dressing from head to toe in the right apparel for living will determine our attitude and joy.  

 

Aside from how we adorn ourselves in hope and faith, what would be other ways to look at God’s dress code?  Colossians 3:12 NLT tells us, “Since God chose you to be the holy people He loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.”  

 

I look at the above dress code ideas as a year-round code that does not require a rotation of sorts to keep up with season changes.  

Certainty of Death

 We have been studying Solomon's research in Ecclesiastes in Sunday school.  This morning we discussed death, the only certainty in life.  Based on the lesson, I put together the following: 

                                       Certainty of Death 

One thing I can certify is that all must die,

Yet, men know not when;

Not the time nor the hour;

That’s within God’s knowledge and power.

Under the sun,

There may be wealth, prosperity, or popularity,

But none will follow in death.

Within riches or possessions, there is no breath.

Woe to those who covet evil, enjoying upheaval.

Woe to teachers of lies, blinding eyes.

Blessed are the wise;

Those who seek Christ first, satisfying their thirst.

Blessed are those who enjoy the simple things

And what God’s blessings bring.

Blessed are those among the living-

not taking but giving.

Under the sun, death comes to all, 

But Jesus calls!

Accept! Live your years in hope-

Of life ascending toward heaven’s slope.

 

Mary Crisp Jameson.    11/7/2021

 

“For the living know that they will die; but the dead know nothing, and they have no reward, for the memory of them is forgotten.”   Ecclesiastes 9:5

 

 

 

 

Quality vs Quantity

  There is much to be said about the difference between quality (a measure of excellence) versus quantity (a numerical value, such as time).  In discussing which God prefers, I believe He would say, "Quality! But don't stop there.   Give me quantity, as well." 

    Quality does not mean a quick on the run prayer.  It means stopping and being sincere.  It means praise in bad times as well as good.  Quantity means taking time.  When I put them both together it means an earnest pursue to seek God.  In order to give both quality and quantity, I asked myself,  "What am I willing to give up?  Am I willing to give up a movie, the reading of a good novel, a phone conversation to pass the time with a friend, and so on?  What will give me more joy and more peace?  What does God prefer I do?"

     So, I ask,  "Am I willing to give both quality and quantity to God?  Am I willing to give both the time and energy to do what it takes to sincerely pursue Christ."

 

Change the Focus

Being content in the midst of trouble is hard.  Paul told us how to do that in Philippians 4:13, "I can do all things through Him who strengthens me."  Also we can change our focus.  Get the focus off the problem, off self,  and focus on God and His Word.  It all comes back to God.  He is the One who gets us through the problems of life.